In some vehicles, a side door includes a structural member that extends around the top of the side door window. The structural member is commonly referred to as a door frame. The door frame often provides support for weather seals, which in turn, provide support and sealing functions for the side door window when the side door window is in raised position.
Other vehicles, such as for example convertibles, have a frameless door system. That is, the side door does not have a structural member that extends around the top of the side door window. Frameless door systems are used to provide an unobstructed view from the vehicle interior when the side door window is in a lowered position. Frameless door systems can also be used to achieve desired styling objectives.
Since frameless systems do not have a structural member extending around the top of the side door window, movement and positioning of the side door window is supported by structures or mechanisms contained within the vehicle door. In certain cases, the movement and positioning of the side door window is controlled and supported by a regulator. A regulator is a mechanism that controls the raising, lowering, and positioning of the side door window. Typically, a regulator includes one or more rails, clamps configured to ride on the rails and further configured to secure the side door window, and cables configured to move the clamps on the rails as directed by a motor assembly.
In certain frameless systems, the weather seals are mounted to the vehicle body. Mounting the weather seals to the vehicle body can lead to variations in the relative positioning of the side door windows and the weather seals. As a result of the variations in the relative positioning, it can be time consuming to position a regulator such that the side door window obtains a proper seal against a weather seal. In order to ensure proper engagement of the side door window with the weather seals, it is desirable to provide adjustments with the structures and mechanisms, such as for example regulators, that control the movement and positioning of the side door windows.
It would be advantageous if the structures and mechanisms that control the movement and positioning of side door windows could be installed in vehicle doors more efficiently.